Cargo is commonly secured to load beds on trucks and trailers by cargo straps. Typically stake pockets and rails are attached along each side edge of the load bed and winches are attached along one side of the load bed and the straps are thrown over the load and hooks on the outer ends of the straps are secured to the stake pockets or rails.
As a typical example U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,740 to Parker et al. discloses winches mounted under the rails along one side of a trailer load bed with cargo straps extending upward over the rails on the winch side of the load bed and across to the opposite side of the load bed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the edges of the load bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,621 to Hugg discloses winches removably attachable to the rails or pockets along one side of the load bed such that the winches are somewhat above the rails and the load bed. Again the cargo straps extend across to the opposite side of the load bed perpendicular to the edges of the load bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,918 to Heider et al. discusses the problems of securing odd shaped loads since the straps cannot be turned to any significant angle with respect to the surface of the load bed, but must extend across the load bed generally perpendicular to the side edges thereof. It is typical therefore to use chains and load binders to secure odd shaped loads such as vehicles, which have their own problems. Heider then goes on to provide a winch mounted to the sides of the load bed about a horizontal pivot axis extending perpendicular from the side of the load bed. The cargo strap can then extend upward from the winch roller and be attached at an elevated location on a vehicle or like piece of equipment that is forward or rearward of the winch.